Picker stick check



June 12, 19 E. H- ASHTON ET AL PICKER STICK CHECK Filed Jan. 15

INVENTORJ. EVERETT H-ASHTON ARTHUR N. ZWANZIGER Z/wi3w ATTOQVEV Patented June 12, 195I PICKER STICK CHECK Everett H. Ashton, Jersey City, and Arthur N. Zwanziger, Maplewood, N. J., assignors, by mesne assignments, to Steel and Alloy Tank Company, Newark, N. J a corporation of New Jersey Application January 15, 1948, Serial No. 2,443

9 Claims.

U The present invention relates to a loom device now'employed for checking the movement of the picker stick and consequently of the shuttle when said shuttle is boxed.

In the operation of certain looms, it has been customary to utilize a flexible check strap as a means for checking the movement of the picker stick and shuttle and bringin the latter to a stop in the shuttle box. Associated with this check strap is a tension device which engages said strap in a manner to cause considerable wear to the strap, thereby making it necessary to replace said strap frequently. Furthermore, this prior check strap device is not consistent in the checking pressures applied to the picker stick during each of its stick checkin operation, causes undesirable rebound of the picker stick at the end of its outward shuttle boxing movement, and does not always apply equal retarding forces to opposite sides of the picker stick.

. Among the objects of the present invention is to provide a comparatively simple and efficient picker stick check device which afiords less wear than prior art'stick check devices, thereby resulting in considerable reduction in the cost of replacements; which is substantially consistent in the retarding forces applied during each stick checking'operation, so that uniform shuttle checking conditions are attained, which operates with minimumof rebound of the picker stick, which applies equal centralized retarding forces to opposite'sides of the picker stick, which is easily adjustable to assure centralization or balancing of the retarding forces acting on the picker stick and to permit selective variation in the extent of said forces, and which does not interfere with the picking movement of the stick in throwing the shuttle along the lay and across the loom.

Various other objects of the invention are apparent from the following particular description and an inspection of the following drawings, in which: 7

Fig. l'is a front elevation, partly in section, of the left-hand side portion of the loom, the front box plate being removed, and shows the picker stick check device of the present invention at the beginning of the shuttle checking operation;

Fig. 2 is a horizontal section taken approximately along the lines 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section of the picker stick check device at the end of the checking operation and is taken approximately along the lines 33 ofFig. 4, parts of said device being shown broken away to reveal the interior structure of said device; and

Fig. 4 is a section taken approximately along the lines 4-4 of Fig. 3 and shown with the front box plate removed.

Referrin to the drawings, there is shown only the left-hand side portion of the loom but it must be understood that the corresponding right-hand side portion of the loom is of similar construction. The loom shown comprises the usual lay III, having a lay beam I I carrying the bottom box plate I2 of a shuttle box I3 at each end. A picker stick I4, of substantially rectangular cross-section and with a picker I5 near its upper end, moves in a slot at each end of the lay I0 and within the shuttle box [3 imparting picking motion to a fly shuttle I6 alon the lay and across the loom.

The shuttle box I3 i shown comprising a back plate I! with which is pivotally associated the usual spring-pressed binder I8 and a front box plate 20.

The picker stick Id swings back and forth longitudinally of the lay I0. The present invention has to do with the retarding or checking of the movement of the picker stick I4 when said shuttle I6 enters the box I3.

The picker stick check device of the present invention comprises a pair of bufier or check arms 25 in the form of rigid plates located on opposite sides of the plane of movement of the picker stick I4 at an angle therewith and disposed in position to block the movement of said picker stick as it moves outwardly across the loom. The check plates are mounted for angular movement towards and away from the plane of movement of the picker stick I4 on a frame 26 constitutin the supporting structure for the picker stick check device of the present invention. The frame is secured to the underside of the lay beam II by bolts 27 passing through elongated slots 28 in said frame to permit adjustment of the picker stick check device along the beam II and having the nuts 30 thereof housed in recesses 3| in the underside of the bottom box plate I2. The nuts 30 are fixed against rotation by splining, or the like, to the lay beam II. The heads 32 are easily accessible for turning to permit easy attachment, removal or adjustment of the check device as a unit along the lay beam I I.

For hinging the check plates 25 on to the frame 26, each of said plates has a hub or eye 35 at one end lying between hinge projections 36 and 3! of said frame and embracing with a rotative fit a pintle or joint pin 38 passing through said hinge projections.

The hinge joints for the check plates 25 are desirable independentl adjustable to permit adjustments in the angles of said plates with respect to each other and to the plane of movement of the picker stick l4. To that end, the joint pin 38 ha coaxial shaft ends 40 and GI journalled in the frame hinge projections 36 and 31, respectively, and a cylindrical intermediate body portion 42 embraced by the eye or hub 35 and eccentric with respect to said shaft ends.

To facilitate easy assembly Without demounting the frame structure 26, the joint pin 38 is of stepped construction with its lower shaft end 4! of largest diameter, its intermediate part 42 of sufficiently smaller diameter to permit its passage through the hole of the hinge frame projection 31 and its upper shaft end 40 of smallest diameter. The joint pin 38 can thereby be inserted through the hinge parts from the bottom of the device.

To permit rotation of the joint pin 38 for adjustments in the angle of the corresponding check plate 25, the lower shaft end 4! may have a socket shaped to receive a socket wrench and accessible from the underside of the check device. To lock the joint pin 38 in rotatively adjusted position, the upper shaft end 49 projects upwardly beyond the upper hinge frame projection 36 and is threaded to receive a lock nut device 45.

It is desirable to make the check plates 25 of light metal such as magnesium or alloys thereof in order to permit the use of light springs therefor, as will be described. In view of the ineffectiveness of such materials, for bearing purposes, the bore of each plate hub or eye 35 is preferably lined with a bushing 46 of suitable bearing metal.

The check plates 25 are lined on their confronting faces with leather 55, or similar cushioning material, presenting smooth surfaces to the picker stick M.

The check plates 25 are biased towards converging relationship shown in Fig. 2 by a floating spring arrangement which is automatically balanced to equalize the spring pressure on the two plates. To that end, there is provided a rod 55 passing through slots 56 at the proximate ends of the check plates 25. A pair of coil springs 58 on opposite sides of the ends 51 encircle the rod 55 and bear at their inner ends against said ends. At their outer ends, the coil springs 58 bear against respective abutments 60 through which the rod 55 passes with slide fits. The spring abutments are retained in adjusted position against outward displacement along the rod 55 by nuts 5| threaded on respective ends of said rod.

The rod 55 is supported for floating endwise guided movement. For that purpose, each of the spring abutments 6!] is integral or otherwise rigidly connected to the outer end of a sleeve 63 encircling the rod 55 and having a slide fit in a respective slide bearing 64 forming part of the frame 25. The bore of the bearing 64 may be lined with a suitable bushing 65.

To impart substantial rigidity to the frame 26 and to house and protect the check plates 25, said frame has side walls 61 integrally connecting the bearings 54 and the plate hinge structures 35, 31 and flanking said check plates.

In the initial stick checking position shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the check plates 25 are pressed together at their slotted ends 51 by the springs 58. In this position, the check plates 25 extend at a small acute angle with the path of movement of the picker stick hi and are arranged to engage the outer corners of said picker stick which 4 are desirably rounded to reduce wear on the leather plate linings 50 to a minimum.

The outward movement of the picker stick I4 is resisted by the engagement of the yieldable spring-pressed check plates 25 therewith until said picker stick is finally checked in the position shown in Figs. 3 and 4.

The angle of the check plates 25 with the path of movement of the picker stick I4 is small enough to minimize the initial impact of said stick against said plates and thereby to avoid fluttering and excessive wear of said plates but is large enough so that at all times during braking or checking of said picker stick, the plates converge outwardly and thereby engage only the outer corners ii! of said stick, never coming into surface contact with the side faces 'H of said stick. Any retarding resistance offered by such surface contacts between the check plates 25 and the side faces H of the picker stick [4 would be variable and uncertain especially at high speeds, so that consistent checking action could not be expected. Furthermore, such surface contact would exert an undesirable restraining influence on the picker stick 14 when said stick is thrown inwardly for picking action.

In the operation of the loom, the picker stick Hi on one side of the loom moves inwardly to hurl the shuttle it along the lay in and across the loom for picking action. Immediately after this picking action, the picker stick I4 is partially returned outwardly and awaits the return of the shuttle M5 to complete its outward movement. The shuttle I5 is returned at high speed for the next pick by the picker stick on the other side of the loom and as it returns into the shuttle box 13 at the completion of said pick, its tip engages the picker l5. The boxing movement of the shuttle I6 is thereby directly transmitted to the picker stick 14. As the picker stick 14 moves angularly outwardly under the impulse of the shuttle 16, it strikes the check plates 25 in the initial position shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The initial impast is comparatively small as already described, so that the check plates 25 do not fly out of contact with the picker stick and the wear on said plates and especially on the leather linings 50 is negligible. As the stick I4 continues its outward movement, it spreads the check plates 25 apart against the action of the springs 58, the braking force applied to said stick as it moves being accelerated up to a predetermined value. After the braking force reaches this value, the increase in effective leverage force applied 'by the moving picker stick i4 is balanced :by the increase in resistance offered by the compressed springs 58, so that the braking force offered to the stick for the remainder of its outward move ment is substantially constant. The stick '14 will be completely checked when .it reaches the ex.-

treme outward position shown in Figs. 3 .and 4.- The usual bumper (not shown) associated with the end of the lay it is employed as a positive stop to engage the stick 14 at the end of its putv ward movement.

At the end of the checked outward movement of stick l4, shown in Figs. 3 and 4, the inner OOH.- frcnting faces of the check plates 25 are still at an angle with the side faces 'H of the picker stick l4, so that the resisting or checking forces of said check plates are concentrated and applied at the corners H! of said stick. This condition is conducive to consistency in the checking action of the device.

It should be noted that during the braking-pf the picker stick [4, any increase in the compressive force on one spring 58 compared with the compressive force on the other spring 58, causes the rod 55 through its slide bearing supports to move axially towards said one spring to reduce the compressive force thereon and to increase the compressive force on said other spring, so that the compressive forces on these springs become equalized. This automatic spring balancing arrangement serves to equalize the forces on opposite sides of the picker stick I4, so that the braking actions on successive outward strokes of said stick are consistent and thewear on said stick and facings 50 is reduced to a minimum.

The rod 55 serves not only to support the springs 58 for floating force equalizing action but also serves as a guide and support for the outer ends 51 of the check plates 25 in their picker stick checking movement;

The angles of the check plates 25 with respect to the path of movement of the picker stick [4 may be independently adjusted by changing the positions of the hinge axes of said plates. This can be eifected by turning the corresponding joint or hinge pin 38, as described. The eccentric location of the body portion 42 of the pin 38 with respect to the shaft ends All and M of said pin changes the angle of the corresponding check plate 25 with respect to the path of movement of the picker stick, when said pin is rotated about the common axis of said shaft ends Ali-and 4|.

The compression on .the springs '58 may be varied equally by turning either nut 6|. However, it is desirable to turn both nuts SI to the same extent to centralize the positions of the sleeves 63.

While the invention has been described with particular reference to a specific embodiment, it is to be understood that it is not to be limited thereby but is to be construed broadly and restricted solely by the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A picker stick device for a loom, comprising a pair of check members adapted to engage the picker stick, means mounting said check members for movement in opposite directions towards and away from the path of movement of the picker stick, a rod, a pair of spaced spring abutments carried by said rod, a pair of springs encircling said rod between said abutments and hearing at their outer ends against said abutments respectively and at their inner adjacent ends against said check members to urge said check members into restraining engagement with said picker stick as it moves outwardly, and slide bearing means mounting said rod for free endwise movement to equalize automatically the forces acting on said springs.

2. A picker stick device for a loom, comprisin a pair of check members adapted to engage the picker stick, means mounting said check members for movement in opposite directions towards and away from the path of movement of the picker stick, said check members being provided at one end with respective slots, a rod mounted for endwise movement transversely of the path of movement of the picker stick and passing through said slots and guiding said check members in their movements towards and away from each other, a pair of spaced spring abutments carried by said rod, and a pair of springs encircling said rod between said abutments and bearing at their outer ends against said abutments respectively and at their inner adjacent 6' 7 ends against said check members to urge said members into restraining engagements with the picker stick as said picker stick moves outwardly.

' 3. A picker stick check device, for a loom, comprising a pair of converging check arms disposed on opposite'sides of the path of movement of a picker stick and having respective slots atone end, pivot supports for said check arms at the other end permitting angular movements of said check arms towards and away from each other, a rod mounted for endwise movement across said path passing through said slots and guiding said check arms in their angular movements towards and away from each other, a pair of spaced spring abutments carried by said rod, and a pair of springs encircling said rod between said abutments and bearing at their outer ends against said abutments respectively and at their inner adjacent ends against said check arms.

4. A picker stick check for a loom, comprising a pair of check arms adapted to flank the picker stick and disposed on opposite sides of its path of movement, said arms converging outwardly with respect to said path of movement and adapted to engage restrainedly said picker stick as it is moved outwardly by the boxing of the shuttle at the end of a picking operation, hinge supports for said arms presenting near the inner ends of said arms definite hinge axes about which said arms are adapted to turn by the moving action of the picker stick thereon, said arms at their converging outer ends being provided with respective slots, a rod across said path passing through said slots and guiding said check arms in their angular movements towards and away from each other, a pair of spaced nuts threaded on said rod.

5. A picker stick check device for a loom, comprising a frame adapted to be secured to the lay and having two pairs of superposed hinge projections on opposite sides of the path of movement of the picker stick, and a pair of slide bearings On opposite sides of said path of movement having a common axis extending transversely of said path, a pair of check plates each having at one end a hub between the superposed hinge frame projections of a corresponding pair, a pintle through each pair of superposed projections and through the corresponding plate hub, a rod, spring abutments on said rod, sleeves on said rod held on said rod by said abutments and supported in said bearings for free slide movement therein, and springs on said rod bearing on said abutments and pressing the other ends of said plates towards each other, said plates being adapted to engage the picker stick as it moves outwardly and to retard its movement through the action of said springs on said plates.

6. A picker stick check device for a loom, comprising a pair of check arms disposed on opposite sides of the path of movement of the picker stick and each having one end pivotally mounted to permit angular movement of said arms towards and away from the picker stick path, means engaging said arms adjacent their other ends constantly urging said other ends towards each other, said engaging means including resilient means and means supporting said resilient means, and means mounting said engaging means for movement as a unit transversely of the path of movement of the picker stick with said other ends when the pressure exerted by the picker stick on one of said check arms tends to exceed the pressure exerted by the picker stick on the other of said check arms whereby said check arms in 7 their picker stick checking movements follow the picker stick.

7. A picker stick check device for a loom, comprising a pair of check arms disposed on opposite sides of the path of movement of the picker stick and each having one end pivotally mounted to permit angular movement of said arms towards and away from the picker stick path, a pair of resilient members each having one end engaging one of said arms respectively adjacent the other end thereof, a non-resilient member supported for movement transversely of the path of movement of the picker stick, abutment members mounted on said non-resilient member engaging the other ends of said resilient members, said non-resilient member, said abutment members and said resilient members being movable with said other ends of said arms as a unit transversely of the path of movement of the picker stick when the pressure exerted by the picker stick on one of said arms tends to exceed the pressure by the picker stick on the other of said arms to automatically equalize the stresses on said resilient members.

8. A picker stick device for a loom, comprising a pair of check arms disposed on opposite sides of the path of movement of the picker stick and each having one end pivotally mounted to permit angular movement of said arms towards and away from the picker stick path, a pair of aligned springs each having one end engaging one of said arms respectively adjacent the other end thereof, and a rigid member mounted for movement transversely of the path of movement of the picker stick, an abutment member mounted on said rigid member adjacent each end thereof, said abutment members engaging the other ends of said springs, said other ends of said check arms, said springs, said abutments and said rigid member being movable as a unit transversely of the path of the picker stick to automatically low the picker stick without substantially deflect' ing it from its path.

9. A picker stick device for a loom, comprising a pair of check members adapted to engage the picker stick, means mounting said check members for movement in opposite directions towards and away from the path of movement of the picker stick, a rod mounted for endwise movement transversely of the path of movement of the picker stick, a pair of spaced spring abutments carried by said rod and movable therealong, nuts threaded on said rod adapted to limit the movement of said spring abutments on said rod outwardly from the picker stick path, and a pair of springs encircling said rod between said spring abutments respectively and bearing at their outer ends against said spring abutments respectively and at their inner adjacent ends against said check members to urge said check members into restraining engagement with said picker stick as it moves outwardly.

EVERETT H. ASHTON. ARTHUR N. ZWANZIGER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,138,660 Jones et a1 May 11, 1915 1,146,697 Evans July 13, 1915 1,286,570. Field Dec. 3, 1918 1,337,070 Hestley Apr. 13, 1920 1,542,688 Fournier June 16, 1925 1,633,452 McLemore June 21, 1927 2,197,589 Newton Apr. 16, 1940 

